A new genus and two new species of myrophine worm-eels, with comments on Muraenichthys and Scolecenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae)

Abstract

Skythrenchelys n.gen. differs from other myrophine ophichthids in the condition of its gill openings (moderately elongate and below lateral midline), dentition (large, conical and uniserial), posterior nostril (entirely outside mouth), and other characters. Skythrenchelys zabra n.sp., the type species, is described from India, the Philippines, Indonesia and northern Australia; S. lentiginosa n.sp. is described from the Red Sea. Scolecenchelys Ogilby, previously a subgenus of Muraenichthys Bleeker, is generically distinct on the basis of differences in dentition (teeth conical and uniserial or biserial vs blunt and multiserial), cephalic pores (2 pores between anterior and posterior nostrils vs 1 pore), and its posterior nostril condition (within vs outside mouth). Valid species of Muraenichthys and Scolecenchelys and their synonyms are identified.

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